White Rock, B.C., mayor vows destroyed pier will be restored
'I've never seen devastation like this,' says Darryl Walker, of windstorm that hammered city
The beloved pier in the city of White Rock, B.C., suffered extensive damage in Thursday's windstorm and will take months to repair, city officials say.
As many as three boats broke away from their moorage due to gusting winds and crashed through part of the White Rock pier, leaving a 42-year-old man trapped on the dock for more than an hour. He was airlifted by helicopter in a dramatic rescue.
Crews worked overnight and into Friday morning assessing the damage. The city says the pier, promenade and East Beach are closed until further notice.
"I've lived here 50 years," said White Rock Mayor Darryl Walker. "I've never seen a storm like this. I've never seen devastation like this."
"Trust me, our pier will be restored," he added.
People are being asked to stay away from the waterfront and to respect barricades that are in place.
Walker said structural engineers will examine the pier in the coming months. He said there will likely be more damage beyond the 30-metre section that tore off.
"Before anybody goes back on there, we need to know it's safe," he said.
The city doesn't have a cost estimate for repairs yet, but it could run into the millions, Walker said.
Walker said tourism and local businesses will take a blow from the damaged pier, which he called the jewel of the community.
Safety at the pier
Officials will also re-examine policies around closing the pier in severe wind conditions.
Fire Chief Phil Lemire said the pier and promenade have been closed in the past during bad weather, but that they've struggled with people ignoring the closures.
Watch some of the destruction caused by the powerful windstorm in White Rock:
Walker said he doesn't think the city will stop boats from being moored at the pier, but he'll be speaking with boat owners about safety.
As of Friday morning, about 300 residences in White Rock remain without power. BC Hydro said about 140,000 customers provincewide are still in the dark as of 12 p.m. PT on Friday.
City crews are doing triage on city roads and trails to remove downed trees and live wires.
The city has reception centres open at Centennial Park, Kent Street and the White Rock Community Centre.
'Nobody got hurt'
The west side of the promenade is open, but it could take until the end of January before the east side reopens, says the city.
On Friday morning, the area was littered with debris, including Styrofoam and empty fuel containers. Three boats owned by a local yacht co-op also washed ashore.
Tim Marron was among the fortunate ones, with his nine-metre sailboat still safely docked. The White Rock resident said about 30 boats had floated away or suffered damage.
"That's pretty lucky for us," he said. "I feel horrible for the clubs and all the other boat owners because that's a hard thing to take."
He added: "It is just property, and nobody got hurt."
With files from Micki Cowan